Bombardier announced today that it will begin construction later this month on a new Middle East aircraft service center to be located at Al Bateen Executive Airport (OMAD) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The 120,000-sq-ft facility is expected to open in the second half of next year. Originally intended to be situated at Abu Dhabi International Airport (OMAA) when first planned in 2022, a Bombardier spokesman told AIN that during the planning and development phase it was determined that OMAD provided a more strategic location.

The facility will offer a 55,000-sq-ft hangar capable of accommodating Bombardier’s flagship Global 8000, along with a parts depot. It will offer a complete slate of aircraft services, including scheduled and unscheduled heavy maintenance, aircraft modifications, and AOG support. It is also expected to create some 100 aerospace jobs.

According to Bombardier, the facility will expand its existing UAE service network, which consists of a line maintenance station in Dubai that provides its Learjet, Challenger, and Global customers with AOG and general line service capabilities.

“We are thrilled to announce the new location of our Abu Dhabi service facility at the dynamic Al Bateen Executive Airport,” said Paul Sislian, the Canadian airframer’s executive v-p of aftermarket services and strategy. “This location is strategically aligned with all our aftermarket priorities and perfectly matches the needs of our discerning customer base.”